Sewing-machine stand



' (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

J .BOLTON. SEWING MACHINE STAND. I

No. 552,508. 5 Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

, (No Model.) v v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. BOLTQNf SEWING MACHINE STAED.

,No; 552,508. Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

(No Model.) s Sheets$heet 3.

J. BOLTON.

SEWING MACHINE STAND.

No. 552,50 Patented Jan. 7, 1896..

.IQJD. Wm i ANDREW B GRAHAM.PHOTO-LITHQWASNINBTONDC NlTE STATES PATENT, Fries,

JAMES BOLTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,508, dated January *7, 1896.

A li ti fil d Aprilll, 1893. Serial No. 469,939. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BOLTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Stands, of which the following is a specification, refer ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of sewing-machine tables or stands which are so constructed as to permit the sewing-machine when not in use to be dropped down below the surface of the table, so that by folding down the leaf which forms an extension of the table onto the surface of the latter the opening in the table-top through which. the machine is dropped is covered, thereby adapting the table for use as an ordinary table,

this class of stands being known to the trade as dropcabinets or drop-stands.

My invention has for its object to provide a table or stand of the class referred to which may be so cheaply constructed that it will cost but little if anything more than an ordinary table or stand, as well as to provide a dropstand in which the wooden box which forms the receptacle below the table for the machine, when the latter is dropped down below the top of the table, will serve as a brace to connect the iron legs or side frames of the stand, so that the table will be sufiiciently strong and firm in use without requiring an iron cross brace such as is ordinarily required in sewing-machine stands to connect the legs or side frames thereof and to render the table stiflt' and firm.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a construction of the parts connected with the swinging platform on which the sewing-machine is mounted that a simple curved plate-spring may be employed for the purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the sewing-machine mounted thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view, partly in vertical section, of a sewing-machine table embodying my invention.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the table part of the stand, showing the plate'spring which counterbalances the swinging plat-form. Fig. 4

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.

is a partial top View illustrating the same feature. Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail views.

A A denote the iron legs or side frames of a stand, and B the table proper attached to the tops of the said legs or side frames by bolts or screws b. The table B is provided with an opening, surrounding which and secured to the upper surface thereof is a frame C, and on a level with the latter is a swing- 6o ing platform or support D pivoted or hinged at its rear side and adapted to be dropped below the surface of the table, as also to be raised above the same. This swinging platform or support sustains the sewing-machine, the bed-plate of which latter is received in a suitable recess or opening formed in the said platform or support, the latter being adapted to be dropped below the surface of the table when the sewing-machine is not in use, or to be elevated above the surface of the table on its hinges when access to the under side of the sewing-machine is desired.

To the front side of the frame C is hinged a small leaf 0, having a suitable lip c", on

which rests a lip d of the platform D, so as to support the front side of said platform when the sewing-machine is in operative position. The leaf 0 is adapted to be lifted, so as to disengage the lips c and (Z when it is desired to depress the swinging platform D below the surface of the table.

E denotes a box or compartment arranged below the table 13 and of such size and form as to receive the sewing-machine sustained 8 5 by the platform or support I) whenthe latter is depressed below the surface of the table. This box or receptacle E is permanently closed except at its top and is preferably formed of wood, and the ends thereof are of sufficient 9o thickness to receive screws 6, passing through lugs a, formed on the legs or side frames A,

so as to firmly secure the said box or compartment in place in such a manner that it will form a brace strongly connecting the upper ends of said legs or side frames, thusrenderiug the table strong and firm. The sides and bottom of the said box or receptacle E are preferably formed of a single bent piece of comparatively thin wood, and the whole box or compartment forms an inclosed receptacle into which the sewingmachine may be dropped, and when in this position it will be protected from dust and dirt and will also be entirely concealed from view.

' F denotes a swinging leaf hinged at f to one end of the frame 0 in such a manner that it may be turned down over the said frame, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, thus covering the. opening in the said frame through which the sewing-machine passes when dropped below the top of the table, said leaf thus forming a complete table-top to adapt the table for use for any desired purpose when the sewing-machine has been depressed into the receptacle E. lVhen it is desired to raise the sewing-machine above the table to its operative position, the leaf F may be turned down outward to the position denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to form an extensionleaf for the table, and thus to give plenty of room for the convenience of the operator.

To the ends of the swinging platform or support D at the rear side of the latter are secured metal plates G having depending lugs or ears 9, which are in contact with a bent plate-spring H near the ends of the latter, the said spring being placed in a suitable recess formed therefor in the table B and the center of the said spring resting against a convex part b of the said table, this convex support thus permitting the said spring to be bent backward beyond a straight line when the swinging platform D is lowered below the surface of the table and the spring is under tension. The outer surface of the lower ends of the lugs or ears 9 of the plates G are rounded, so as to permit an easy turning contact thereof with the spring H.

To the under side of the table Bare attached plates I, having upwardly-extending ears or parts i having holes entered by pins g in the ears or lugs g of the plates G, the said pins forming the pivots or hinges of the swinging platform or support D. The ends of the spring H, as herein shown, rest against the upper ends of the lugs 2' when the swinging platform or support D is in its raised or operative position, the said lugs 1 thus serving as stops for the ends of the said spring. The front walls of the recess in the table B into which the ends of the spring H extend would, however, serve as stops for the ends of the said springs if the lugs i were not extended back far enough to serve this purpose.

The spring II is of sufficient strength to nearly or quite counterbalance the weight of the sewing-machine which is to be sustained by the swinging platform or support D, so that when it is desired to raise the sewingmachine to its operative position, when it has been dropped into the box IE, very little lifting force need be applied by the operator. The simple plate-spring II, while performing all the offices of more complicated springs heretofore used in this class of tables for a similar purpose, is very cheap and is easily applied in position, and this feature of my invention contributes largely to the simplicity and cheapness of my drop-stand.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent Ina sewing machine stand, the combination with the legs or side frames and the table attached to the tops thereof, of a swinging platform or support having a suitable hinge or pivotal connection with the said table and provided on its under side with I depending ears or lugs, and a plate spring, as H, arranged to engage the said ears or lugs on the said swinging platform or support and serving to counterbalance the weight of the sewingmachine sustained by the latter. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES 'l-iOLTON. lVitnesses HENRY CALVER, CAssIE M. SWEENEY. 

